Gabe Kibblewhite is cracking jokes. He91裸聊视频檚 missing a chunk of his hair. He91裸聊视频檚 had some fun with visiting nursing students. He expects to be playing baseball again as early as next week (HE expects that. Won91裸聊视频檛 happen as he91裸聊视频檚 on the injured list for at least six months).
And, like a lot of 14-year-olds, he91裸聊视频檚 starving.
What91裸聊视频檚 remarkable about the Vernon teen is Kibblewhite is doing all this less than a week after being severely injured when hit by a vehicle in a city crosswalk.
And he91裸聊视频檚 doing it, now, from the comfort of his Harwood area home.
Gabe Kibblewhite is a miracle. His friends know it. His doctors know it. His nurses know it. And his family knows it.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e still in shock having him home,91裸聊视频� said Kibblewhite91裸聊视频檚 mom, Kailea. 91裸聊视频淓very single person we91裸聊视频檝e talked to has said they can91裸聊视频檛 believe where we are today (Aug. 2). 91裸聊视频淭here were three or four doctors who worked on him, and were off on the weekend, they came in and wanted to see him.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 a miracle. They needed to see what this kid is doing. He shouldn91裸聊视频檛 be home already.91裸聊视频�
It91裸聊视频檚 late Friday afternoon, July 28, somewhere between 5 and 5:30 p.m. Gabe is coming home on his scooter from his gym on 24th Street, in Vernon91裸聊视频檚 north end, and he91裸聊视频檚 stopped at the crosswalk at 48th Avenue. It91裸聊视频檚 a route he takes religiously to and from his workouts.
Gabe looks both ways to cross the four-lane stretch of road. As he waits, one car stops to wave him across. Gabe looks again as he starts to cross the roadway. He doesn91裸聊视频檛 see a vehicle, possibly a pickup truck. It91裸聊视频檚 the vehicle that strikes him. That91裸聊视频檚 the last thing Gabe remembers about that afternoon.
Kailea had just returned from Penticton, where her oldest son was in a hockey camp for a week. She went to her office to do some paperwork to get ready for the following Monday. Her husband was en route to Vancouver with the Kibblewhite91裸聊视频檚 third child for baseball provincials. Kailea91裸聊视频檚 cell rang at about 6:15 p.m. Friends were calling about Gabe, and reaching out about the incident on social media.
Kailea called her husband, who had arrived in Vancouver, and told him he had to come back. Gabe was hit by a vehicle and it91裸聊视频檚 not known how bad he91裸聊视频檚 hurt.
Gabe had been rushed to Kelowna General Hospital, bypassing Vernon Jubilee. That move may have saved his life.
91裸聊视频淥nce I got to Kelowna, everything is a bit of a blur,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 was told he91裸聊视频檇 been hit by a motor vehicle and that was about it. The social worker that met me tried to get me to see him before surgery, but there was no time. I talked to a couple of doctors on the phone who asked about releases and some questions, and I said do whatever you had to do.91裸聊视频�
Gabe had suffered multiple skull fractures, some bleeding in the brain, and suspected broken bones and internal injuries. He was in surgery nearly five hours. A metal plate was inserted (hence the loss of his hair on a quarter side of his head) to recreate that side of his skull which had suffered many fragments and cracks.
As for broken limbs, there was a broken leg, but there was no internal damage. His heart and lungs 91裸聊视频� considering the impact Gabe endured 91裸聊视频� were fine.
91裸聊视频淭hat was a shock,91裸聊视频� said Kailea. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 one of the reasons we are where we are (today). Had there been internal damage, things may have been a lot different.91裸聊视频�
Kailea91裸聊视频檚 sister is a labour/delivery nurse in VJH91裸聊视频檚 maternity ward, so she prepped Kailea about what she might expect when seeing Gabe for the first time post-surgery in the intensive care unit.
91裸聊视频淚 was expecting the worst but he was just a little puffy. And he was missing quite a few teeth (liquid diet, thus, starving teen). And he was missing his hair. He said they needed to figure out how to make his hair look good. That91裸聊视频檚 all he should be worrying about. It91裸聊视频檚 all he should be caring about.91裸聊视频�
The next six months will be crucial to Gabe91裸聊视频檚 recovery. There will be lots of appointments and specialists visits. Kailea says her son is repeating himself a lot.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a lot we don91裸聊视频檛 know and might not know for a bit,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e going to do everything we can to help him through this. Now comes the reality. What will his future look like. He thinks he91裸聊视频檚 going to play baseball next weekend.
91裸聊视频淗e feels OK but doesn91裸聊视频檛 realize it91裸聊视频檚 the mental side that91裸聊视频檚 being affected. Everything else, leg, hair, teeth, those can be fixed. The brain portion needs a rest.91裸聊视频�
And he can do that rest at his home.
Gabe arrived Thursday, Aug. 1, to a hero91裸聊视频檚 welcome, as many friends and family members greeted him outside the family home with banners, hugs and fist bumps. His Vernon Canadians baseball teammates were there in uniform.
Gabe wasn91裸聊视频檛 wearing a helmet the day of his accident. His family wants to make the wearing of helmets the next cool thing.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e going to make this initiative, make it something to be the right thing to do,91裸聊视频� said Kailea. 91裸聊视频淕abe is charismatic and social, and has made an impact on everybody he91裸聊视频檚 met. If this is his calling, helmet promotion, we91裸聊视频檙e going to do it. I never 91裸聊视频� ever 91裸聊视频� want another parent to experience what that phone call was like. This could have happened to anybody.91裸聊视频�
It happened to Gabe Kibblewhite, 14, an eternally optimistic young soul. Asked if her son was having nightmares, Kailea said everyone is asking that and the answer is no.
91裸聊视频淗e says, 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 alive,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭here are no nightmares. He91裸聊视频檚 so positive and that will be huge for his recovery.91裸聊视频�
The Kibblewhites would like to express their thanks to all of the first responders, the witnesses on the scene who stayed with Gabe and kept him calm, surrounded by love, all the personnel at Kelowna General Hospital, their family and their friends.
91裸聊视频淭he amount of support we feel is amazing,91裸聊视频� said Kailea. 91裸聊视频淰ernon is a pretty awesome little area. We91裸聊视频檙e very blessed.91裸聊视频�
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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